Benefits

Membership with CAOT and CAOT-North is combined. Choosing to belong gives you exclusive benefits through CAOT-North, in addition to all that CAOT offers to members.

Dedicated Leadership: The CAOT works on behalf of members to deliver chapter-specific initiatives that affect your practice and create networking opportunities that build a sense of community. Please contact us at caotnorth@caot.ca with any inquiries.

Professional Development: CAOT-North members are eligible for a 75% discount, up to $200 yearly maximum discount (October 1 to September 30) on CAOT online professional development activities prior to September 30, 2023 to all CAOT-North members in good standing until exhaustion of the CAOT-North Legacy Fund. Please contact education@caot.ca prior to registration for more information and to access the details.

Practice Resources: Through both collaborative and selective initiatives, CAOT-North provides members with relevant and timely resources in support of professional practice.

Networking: CAOT-North creates opportunities for members to meet and discuss the profession’s issues.

Recognition: Members of CAOT-North are eligible to nominate colleagues for all CAOT awards of recognition, and to receive one.  Award nominations are accepted year-round with a December 1st deadline.

CAOT-North Outstanding Occupational Therapist of the Year Award

Member Communication: Members stay connected and share the latest news and resources with CAOT-North’s dedicated communications:

CAOT-North Facebook page

Kaitlynn Dewhirst
Kaitlynn Dewhirst

Kaitlynn currently works at the Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) with the Government of the Northwest Territories as the Clinical Mental Health Program Specialist.  Her role is to assist with the implementation of Bill 55; the new Mental Health Act in the NT.

Kaitlynn graduated from Queen’s University with an MSc OT in 2011.  Since then she has enjoyed broad practice experience including inpatient acute, community health, outpatients, hand therapy, residential care and a private practice (medical legal, return to work, case management and school health.) Her passion throughout has been mental health, as it touches all people across practice settings.  Kaitlynn moved to Yellowknife in 2015 and worked at Stanton Territorial Hospital as both an inpatient and outpatient therapist.  Prior to transitioning to the DHSS she was the inpatient psychiatry and community mental health OT.  

Looking forward, Kaitlynn is excited to be a part of this new CAOT chapter.  Therapists in NT and Nunavut have not had the benefit of a formal association for some time and she looks forward to connecting with colleagues across the North (in all three territories!)

CAOT-North Outstanding Occupational Therapist of the Year Award Nomination

The Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists – North will recognize members living in Yukon, Northwest Territories or Nunavut, who have made an outstanding contribution to the profession throughout his or her career. Only one (1) award will be granted each year. Nominations for this Award will be considered annually but the Award will be made only when recognition is merited in accordance with stated criteria. Nominators whose nomination is unsuccessful in a particular year may allow the nomination to stand for a maximum of three successive years.

2023 Recipient: Janna MacLachlan

Janna’s research focuses on supporting Inuit knowledge to be foregrounded in health and social services offered to Inuit. Janna was awarded a two-year Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship in 2023, through which she is working with Qaujigiartiit on the Ikajurniq Project, a program focused on reconnecting Inuit women and child victims of violence with Inuit knowledge.  

Janna is an advocate for occupational therapists across the north and has worked with Ongomiizwin Health Services and the Government of Nunavut as an OT.

Past Recipients

2022 - Chelsey Weleschuk
2021 - Rachel Schooley
2019 - George Kokuryo

Criteria for Selection

Nominations must meet the following criteria:

  1. Nominees shall be individual or life members of the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists currently living in Yukon, Northwest Territories or Nunavut
  2. Nominees shall have worked as an occupational therapist for a minimum of five years.
  3. Nominees shall be making, or have made contributions that influence the profession, directly or indirectly, in at least one of the following areas:
    • Demonstrating dedication to education and guiding, supporting and encouraging the development of occupational therapy students;
    • Demonstrating expertise or innovation in one or more practice areas in roles in academic or practice education, consultation, administration or research;
    • Developing an innovative occupational therapy practice or working extensively with community/client groups;
    • Making a sustained commitment to the profession by acting as a leader and a role model.
  4. Nominees must not be a current Board member or employee of CAOT.

Nomination procedures

  1. Individual CAOT-North members or a group of members are eligible to submit nominations. Self-nominations will not be considered.
  2. Nomination forms must be submitted through the link below.
  3. An electronic version of the signature form must be downloaded below and submitted with the nomination.
  4. The narrative must include explicit examples of the nominee’s contribution to the profession of occupational therapy, as contributing evidence of, and reasons for, the nomination of the candidate.
  5. The narrative is not to exceed three (3) typewritten pages, single spaced, one-inch margins, 12 point, Arial font. Additional information will not be considered.
  6. Nominators whose nomination is unsuccessful in a particular year may allow the nomination to stand for a maximum of three successive years.
  7. Nominations are to be received by December 1st. All those received after December 1st will be considered for the following nomination year.

Required to complete the online nomination form

About the nominee: name, address, number of years of sustained activity in occupational therapy. Optional: CAOT-North Member #.

Nominee narrative: The purpose of the narrative is to describe why the candidate was nominated for this award and to highlight the exceptional contributions of this occupational therapist. The narrative must include explicit examples of the nominee’s contribution to the profession of occupational therapy, as contributing evidence of, and reasons for, the nomination of the candidate. The narrative is not to exceed three (3) typewritten pages, single-spaced, one inch margins, 12 point, Arial font in word or PDF format (name of file: First name_Last name_North_nom.doc or .pdf). Additional information will not be considered. The narrative should include:

  1. Educational background

  2. Summarized work experience

  3. Nominees shall be making, or have made contributions that influence the profession, directly or indirectly, in at least one of the following areas:

    • Demonstrating dedication to education and guiding, supporting and encouraging the development of occupational therapy students;
    • Demonstrating expertise or innovation in one or more practice areas in roles in academic or practice education, consultation, administration or research;
    • Developing an innovative occupational therapy practice or working extensively with community/client groups;
    • Making a sustained commitment to the profession by acting as a leader and a role model.

About the nominator: name, address, CAOT-North Member # and signature form.  Download and complete this signature form. Scan or take a picture of it as you will be required to upload it. 

Complete your online nomination

Read the selection criteria and form of the award